COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Navy women's rugby team (2-2, 0-2) set program records for most points in a match (71) and most tries in a match (11) as it defeated Air Force, 71-8, on Friday night. The 63-point victory marked the largest margin of victory in program history.
"The team was hitting on all cylinders tonight. The forwards carried the ball well and the backs were quick and effective," stated head coach Murph McCarthy. "I'm proud of the way we played and it has been a great trip."
Air Force got on the scoreboard first when it benefited from a Midshipmen penalty, converting a penalty kick to take an early 3-0 lead just six minutes into the match.
It didn't take long for Navy's offense to respond and get off to a quick start, getting a try from senior captain, Miracle Haynes just eight minutes into the match to take a 5-3 lead. The Mids needed four minutes to march down the pitch and add their second try of the match as Kah Bigue found the try zone in the 12th minute to extend the lead, 12-3.
The Falcons continued the early offensive attack, responding with a try of their own in the 14th minute to shorten Navy's lead, 12-8.
From there it was all Mids as they shut out Air Force the remainder of the match while adding three more tries in the first half and six in the second half. Haynes touched the try zone for the second time at the 17th minute followed by a try Alexis Rohrbach (27th minute) and Jess Mckenzie (32nd minute) to send the Mids into halftime with a 33-8 lead.
Navy's electric offense carried over into the second half as Mckenzie scored her second try of the match two minutes into the half. Rohrbach reach the goal line again in the 45th minute to join Mckenzie and Haynes as the three Mids with multiple tries in the match.
Haynes became the fourth Midshipmen in program history to score a hat trick when she ran in her third try of the match in the 61st minute. The Beaumont, Texas, native is the second Mid this season to score at least three tries in a match this season. She joined Ashley Spencer who registered three tries in the 59-5 victory over Frostburg State earlier in the season.
Two Midshipmen came off the bench to slam down tries to add on the historic night as freshman Lara Olmstead recorded her first career try in the 72nd minute. Senior Bianka Harris rounded out the scoring in the 76th minute.
Mia Young booted 14 total points with a program best seven conversion kicks in the match.
Up Next
Navy will resume its NIRA conference play back on its home pitch against Princeton. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. at the Prusmack Rugby Center.
